Jennifersmith3849

They are doing well, today.

My eleven year old needs more bras and leggings, my 17 year old believes it is my fault he didn’t know he bombed a test (because that is my job to tell him) and my darling 13 year old forgot all his fundraising stuff today. Our 18 year old cannot be talked to if it is not a good time for her

But – Overall, their day to day needs go down and they grow up and their emotional needs go up???

More later! Busy at work…

I try very hard to maintain a certain balance which is tough. I work 10 hours per day and skip lunch to ensure that i can be home on the weekends for my family. I am home for dinner. This to most people is being with the kids quite a bit. for me, I haven’t been on a school field trip, a halloween party, or daytime event in over 10 years. My three kids are awesome and my two step kids and husband, but I want to figure out a way to earn some extra money to work some less hours or change my career. I am at a place in my career where i am high enough to be very needed here and low enough to not be able to set any schedule. Even the annual couple of days off a year is not enough. Any one have any suggetions on this?

I would like it if my kiddos could feel the pain realistically of what they DO as opposed to what I SAY to do.

For example if they don’t make good decisions, I prefer for them to feel that it was a bad decision instead of me telling them it is. Along that line, here is what I have done. As Adults we have several (or more) things we MUST do everyday or we are not succeeding – get up, work hard, put gas in the car, kids fed, groceries in house, etc. As kids they too have several things:
1- room presentable
2- no lying, cussing, yelling at family or anyone else
3- homework
4- be where you are supposed to be -school on time, home on time, etc.

That is about it if those things at the LEAST are done, you have a pretty highly functioning kiddo. since we have five, we have to have continuity. chores and other things figure in, but these are the minimum. One kid in my house gets points (2 per item per day) if he has at least 32 at the end of the week (not perfect) he can go out with friends. Since he is a little slower learner than the others, it works for him to feel successful even if he misses a mark or two. This is my comment on this today. Thanks for reading.